CATALOGUE OF CULINARY VEGETABLES. 



619 



Gramhiece. Zea L , the Indian corn. 



Fungi. Agaricus Z/., the mushroom ; Morchella L., the morel ; Tiiber 

 L., the truffle. 



It thus appears that the esculent vegetables which might be cultivated in 

 British gardens belong to thirty-eight natural orders, and to above 140 

 genera ; and the number might have been hacreased from Gerard's Herbal, 

 and other old gardening or botanical books. All the species are either natives 

 of Britain, or of analogous climates ; or they admit of being brought to 

 maturity, with only one or two exceptions, in the open garden, during the 

 summer season. To know the natural order to which any culinary vegetable 

 belongs, is useful in two points of view : first, it suggests the idea that all the 

 other plants belonging to the same order are probably endowed more or less 

 with the same properties, and may be treated in the same manner^ and in 

 cases of emergency used for the same purposes ; and secondly, that as every 

 plant draws from the soil, not only the nourishment common to plants in 

 general, such as carbon, but some particular saline principle, such as phos- 

 phate of lime, &c., it suggests the propriety of not allowing plants of the 

 same natural order to follow each other in the same rotation (917). For 

 these reasons we might have adopted a botanical classification in treating of 

 the different species and varieties ; but for the amateur and the practical hor- 

 ticulturist, an arrangement founded jointly on the culture and uses of the 

 plant, wUl, we think, be much more useful. At the end of each section, we 

 shall enumerate, from the Natural Arrangement (1864), the plants 

 which may be used as substitutes for those generally cultivated in gardens, 

 and which are treated of at length. 



1365. Horticulturally and economically., therefore, the culinary plants of 

 British gardens may be thus arranged : 



I. Esculents. — Plants used for their nutritious properties. 



Brassicaceous esculents, syn. cabbage tribe ; comprehending the white and 

 red cabbage, cabbage colewort. Savoy, Brussels sprouts, borecoles, cauliflower, 

 broccoli, Kohl Rabbi, and Chinese cabbage. 



Leguminaceous esculents ; comprehending the pea, bean, and kidney-bean. 



Radicaceous esculents, syn. esculent tubers, and roots ; comprehending the 

 potato, Jerusalem artichoke, turnip, carrot, parsnep, red beet, skirret, scor- 

 zonera, salsify, and radish. 



Spinaceous esculents; comprehending the garden spinach, white beet, 

 orache, perennial spinach. New Zealand spinach, sorrel, and herb-patience. 



Alliaceous esculents; comprehending the onion, leek, chives, garlic, 

 shallot, and rocambole. 



Asparagaceous esculents; comprehending asparagus, seakale, artichoke, 

 cardoon, rampion, hop, &c. 



Acetariaceous esculents, syn. salads ; comprehending lettuce, endive, suc- 

 cory, celery, mustard, rape, corn-salad, garden- cress, American-cress, 

 winter-cress, water- cress, burnet ; and some of those included in other 

 sections, as the sorrel, tarragon, Indian cress, &c. 



Adornaceous esculents, syn. seasonings and garnishings; comprehending 

 parsley, purslane, tarragon, fennel, dill, chervil, coriander, carraway, anise, 

 horse-radish, Indian-cress, marigold, borage, and some others included in 

 other sections. 



Condimentaceous esculents, syn. plants used in tarts, and for preserving 



